image: 2026 - 03 David Stirling and students, (left to right) Dr Chelsea Brown, Research Fellow (NB Chelsea Brown is a 2023 winner of the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year); Dr Criska Li, Research Fellow; Dr David Stirling; Professor Józef Lewandowski, Professor of Chemistry; Dr Koorosh Fatemian, Research Fellow
Credit: University of Warwick
The University of Warwick announces today (18th March) that it has received a £1.2 million donation to further antimicrobial resistance research from alumnus Dr David Stirling (PhD Biosciences, 1974-78). The generous contribution forms part of Warwick’s Set the Pace philanthropic campaign.
Dr Stirling’s donation will provide sustainable funding for the Sir Howard Dalton Centre to scale and grow its global reach, placing Warwick at the centre of efforts to overcome one of the world’s most pressing health challenges.
Commenting on his donation Dr David Stirling, donor and alumnus, said: “50 years ago, I was studying at Warwick for my PhD under the mentorship of Sir Howard Dalton. Throughout those 50 years Warwick has been, and continues to be, a leader in antimicrobial resistance research.
“There is an urgent global need to tackle the rise of drug resistance and lack of new antibiotics. New scientists must be trained and work collaboratively to tackle this global challenge and Warwick is ideally suited to initiate and foster such a new global alliance.
“My time at Warwick helped me grow personally and professionally, leaving me with many great memories, great friends, and a greater understanding of the science that has shaped my career. Warwick was the springboard for my career and I’m now able to ‘pay it forward’ by supporting the next generation of researchers.”
In 2022, Dr David Stirling’s philanthropic support founded Warwick’s Sir Howard Dalton Centre for Translational Mechanistic Enzymology – named in honour of David’s doctoral supervisor.
The Sir Howard Dalton Centre is home to the Leadership in Enhancing Antimicrobial Discovery (LEAD) project – an international coalition driving leadership, collaboration, and capacity building to overcome drug-resistant infections.
Warwick’s ambition is to lead a new, globally coherent antimicrobial resistance strategy, which is powered by equitable research partnerships around the world – including India, China, ASEAN nations, and South Africa.
Welcoming the donation Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick, said: “Thanks to Dr David Stirling’s immense support Warwick takes another step forward in being a world-leading research-intensive university. We are all hugely grateful for his ongoing support.
“This £1.2m donation will help support people working on the frontline of antimicrobial resistance discovery, enabling us to Set the Pace in health equity and help deliver medical advances such as new antibiotics for the wellbeing of all.”
More about the Set the Pace health equity projects
Set the Pace aims to raise an initial £250 million and inspire 20,000 acts of volunteering, shaping the Warwick student experience and supporting researchers in tackling major global challenges.
The Sir Howard Dalton Centre is one of several projects to Set the Pace in health equity. Projects also include focusing on healthcare for women and girls through Warwick’s For HER (Health Equity Restitution) work and establishing the Institute for Global Pandemic Planning (IGPP) PhD programme to train the next generation of global pandemic experts.
Set the Pace is now live, bringing together partners, alumni, and supporters to help Warwick deliver solutions with global reach. To learn more or get involved, visit our dedicated website.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Dom Barker, Media & Communications Officer
Dom.Barker@warwick.ac.uk / 07824 540727
General and out-of-hours press office number: +44 (0)7392 125605 (please call as emails are not checked out of office hours).
About Set the Pace
Launched in March 2026, Set the Pace is the University of Warwick’s most ambitious philanthropy campaign, aiming to raise an initial £250 million and inspire 20,000 acts of volunteering. It will invest in the people driving global solutions in peace making, health equity, novel energy, critical arts, and fair and sustainable business, as well as strengthen the Warwick Student Experience to ensure students from all backgrounds thrive.
About the University of Warwick
Founded in 1965, the University of Warwick is a world-leading institution known for its commitment to era-defining innovation across research and education. A connected ecosystem of staff, students and alumni, the University fosters transformative learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold industry partnerships across state-of-the-art facilities in the UK and global satellite hubs. Here, spirited thinkers push boundaries, experiment and challenge convention to create a better world.